Write a story in which the same line recurs three times.

Posted in Fiction on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 163 stories

“Three's The Charm” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #101

When you were growing up, did your mother or father call you to do something but you were too absorbed in doing something of your own? Not ignoring them, just really caught up in your moment? Concentration is a powerful thing. My mother would often call me to come to supper. After lunch I would often spend hours doing the same thing. I frequently didn’t hear her call me, but that didn't mean I was asleep. Eventually I would hear her voice, yes. But I wanted to pretend I hadn't. I had my book and wasn’t hungry. After all, we’d just had...

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“Someone Else” by Shaquita B.

Submitted to Contest #101

I waved as my grandmother pulled out of the parking spot and drove away. Heading up the stairs and towards the doors of the huge brick building, I stopped, turned around, and peered into the road. Once her red Toyota Camry was out of sight, I began walking down the stairs and in the opposite direction. People were out and about, and I took in the various storefronts, including the florist shop and a yoga studio. I was in a great mood and had worn my favorite pink and white polka dot fit-and-flare dress. The heels of my white pumps tapped aga...

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“Wasted Socks” by Chris D

Submitted to Contest #101

Is love just a figment of his imagination? Because he hears those words coming out of her mouth, but anyone can say those words. "I love you, Vance." It's been two months and nine days since they met. That's seventy days of thumbs flying over the keyboard, sending silly texts between dates. He's gotten pictures of her at work, song recommendations... goat videos from the internet. Judy loves goats. That's why he's taken her to the petting zoo today. He wanted her to have a good day, because she had to work the holiday weekend, and she ...

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“Lost twice in my periods ” by TomfliXA Ng’ang’a

Submitted to Contest #101

As I sat on the rusty bench outside my house my midsection feeling bloated, Kamau my boyfriend played some silly game on his phone on the bench across from me. Some people are just stupid. Plain David and Goliath stupid. Am here feeling rotten from my menstruation while he is busy playing. Passers-by might have noticed my discomfort and mostly the bitchy look in my eyes. I guess they thought I was in some trouble or something stupid to that effect. But I am sure they didn’t notice my sensitive nipples that were straight out poking at the fli...

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“Piano Sonata Number 14” by Amanda Lieser

Submitted to Contest #101

This story alludes to the loss of a child. My father sits at the piano playing “Piano Sonata Number 14” by Beethoven. It’s a slow song, a heartbroken song for a heartbroken man. God seems to know what’s happening this morning as a light rain falls dutifully on the windows. It keeps a steady rhythm like a metronome. But the time my father played to a metronome is long gone. His long, angry fingers crash into the keys as thunder roars in the background. I stand, lingering in the doorway. His body sways and rocks, a man lo...

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“Brown Skin Girl” by Shavonne White

Submitted to Contest #101

Brown skin girl. Your skin just like pearls. The best thing in the world. I’d never trade you for anybody else. I silently sang the lyrics to the Beyonce song over and over. I listened to this on the entire bus ride to and from school. Only took my headphones out when they required it which was when I was in classrooms. The hardest things about going to school is riding the school bus, walking through the halls, and lunch period. Riding the school bus was hectic because the bus driver didn’t bother trying to stop the kids from running a...

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“Just Relax, Everything Is Going to Be Fine” by Anna Kerr

Submitted to Contest #101

TW: panic attack“Just relax. Everything is going to be fine.” “You don’t know that” I huffed, sitting on the blue sofa in front of me. I sank into it, and allowed myself to be swallowed in. Nothing about this situation was going to be fine. “I know it” Bradley soothes, but I’m not interested in hearing anything else he had to say. He takes a seat next to me much to my dismay.“And how do you know it?” I ask him, scooting as far away from him as I can. He shakes his head, scooting closer to me, my body pressed up against the arm of t...

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“parallels” by A. S.

Submitted to Contest #101

I could tell you a lot of things. I’m sure there are a lot of things to say. I could tell you about how I got to the top, the wind pulling at my clothing, the fabric trying to break free of my body. I could describe the dense feeling of the blood seeping into my hair and staining my scalp. Surrounding me like a laurel wreath. If you were truly interested, I could tell you what it feels like to die. You see, this could go an infinite number of ways, but I will be the first to admit; the roof was too high. They didn’t know that of cours...

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“There it Goes” by Mellanie Crouell

Submitted to Contest #101

Two ladies sitting on the porch, as silence presents to productivity one reads a book and another writing a story. They listen to the bird’s chirp. The sounds of nature, views of the sun setting cause them to relax and transport into each of their worlds. An hour has passed no one has said a word. Another hour has passed no one has said a word. Lynn pauses from writing her story, she looks up at the bird that sits on the electrical line. He faces West as if the bird is acknowledging the end of a new day. Lynn watching the nature and the clou...

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“The Sleeping Dragon” by Ian Mitchell

Submitted to Contest #101

“You’ve awoken the sleeping dragon.” The young man stared up at the rock face that had frustrated his climb for the last half hour. He reached into his bag and dusted his hands with rosin, then smiled, his perfect teeth shining in the moonlight. There were two things about the young man known as Drake McAdams that you learned about quickly when you got to know him. The first that his temper was best described as mercurial. He was not one to take a slight lying down. The second was that he never backed down from a challe...

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“Naya” by Cannelle L

Submitted to Contest #101

Trigger warning: mentions death***FRIDAY, 10 Feb 2021“Shame is a wasted emotion.” Kurt Hummel, The Quarterback (Season 5, Episode 3)I feel like I need to start off with that. I rewatched The Quarterback today. I didn’t cry this time, and I think I finally found closure. Sure, I still miss Cory and Naya. But watching the episode now (almost 8 years after Cory’s death, and almost a year after Naya’s) is simply comforting. Naya's always been so special to me. Ever since I saw her on Glee, one of my biggest dreams is to meet her, ...

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“It's the mole!” by Nathalie Menard

Submitted to Contest #101

The best way for Carlos to calm his nerves is through cooking. Cutting vegetables, measuring spices, and grilling pieces of meat soothe him. He tossed the guajillo, the ancho and chipotle peppers into a saucepan, and after a few minutes of stirring, the mixture perfumed the small room. The installations looked nothing like the super fancy kitchen he had at home, but the hotplate did the trick.He held a cigarillo between his lips, closing his left eye so the smoke wouldn’t sting it. He put the peppers in the blender and added some chicken bro...

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“There is Nothing. There is No One” by Fidelis Marine

Submitted to Contest #101

It has been driving for a few hours and she needs to get out and stretch. She sees a sign for the state park, and does not hesitate to exit. Although it is just off the main highway, once you turn in, the traffic noise is diminished. It’s as if she has entered a different time, a different dimension. The small parking area allows for maybe 3 or 4 cars in front of the closed horse sized gate. Behind the gate a wide gravel road stretches and bends, telling her it leads somewhere without revealing any other information....

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“The Minutes of a Minute Minute” by Gegi Leon

Submitted to Contest #101

"Get me the minutes of the minute minute, I mean the exact time he spoke the words, 'Out of the belly, and into the abyss.'" He needed no gavel to pound, the podium shook as he landed his fist heavy on the corner, "I want a time-stamped, agenda record of his statement in writing." I preferred the Spui, with all its cobblestones and bungalow architecture known for its seductive intelligence in design and charm. Spui, larger than life, compared to its more famous cousin Amsterdam, which counterintuitively, was more heady than The Netherland'...

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“When I Became Death, I Finally Felt Alive ” by Amanda Newson

Submitted to Contest #101

“Please let me die,” I said, staring up at the ceiling with my wrists bound to the hospital gurney. Tears had pooled in my eyes; and my death ended up being as monumental as the word sorry. Apologies were passed around in small groups, ‘sorry’ was given and taken to family and friends, and then like a regret pushed down deep, it was moved away from. My death came and went and my family and former life had to move on too. &nb...

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Write a story in which the same line recurs three times.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 163 stories

“Three's The Charm” by Kathleen March

“Someone Else” by Shaquita B.

“Wasted Socks” by Chris D

“Lost twice in my periods ” by TomfliXA Ng’ang’a

“Piano Sonata Number 14” by Amanda Lieser

“Brown Skin Girl” by Shavonne White

“Just Relax, Everything Is Going to Be Fine” by Anna Kerr

“parallels” by A. S.

“There it Goes” by Mellanie Crouell

“The Sleeping Dragon” by Ian Mitchell

“Naya” by Cannelle L

“It's the mole!” by Nathalie Menard

“There is Nothing. There is No One” by Fidelis Marine

“The Minutes of a Minute Minute” by Gegi Leon

“When I Became Death, I Finally Felt Alive ” by Amanda Newson

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about a character doing something they’ve done hundreds of times — only this time, it’s taken on a new meaning.

Write a story about a character who fails to understand something until they have the full context.

Write a story about a character who always repeats themselves.

Write a story that involves a reflection in a mirror.

Contest #101

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

729

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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